Mali Khan

Haji Mali Khan (Pashto: حاجي مالي خان) is an Afghan Taliban politician, and former military commander. Khan has served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces since 4 March 2022.[1] From 7 November 2021 to 14 March 2022, he served as governor of Logar Province.[2][3] Prior to his governmental service, he was considered one of the leaders of the Haqqani network, a "semi-autonomous" offshoot of the Taliban.[4]

Haji Mali Khan
Pashto: حاجي مالي خان
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Afghanistan
Assumed office
4 March 2022
Chief of Staff of the Armed ForcesQari Fasihuddin
Governor of Logar
In office
7 November 2021 – 14 March 2022
Prime MinisterHasan Akhund
EmirHibatullah Akhundzada
Preceded byMuhammad Ali Jan Ahmad
Succeeded byMaulvi Inayatullah
Personal details
Nationality Afghanistan

Life

Mali Khan is a Pashtun from the Zadran tribe.[5] His sister is the mother of five of Jalaludin Haqqani's sons[6] and hence Mali Khan is uncle to Sirajuddin Haqqani.[7][8]

Mali Khan was a senior Haqqani commander in Afghanistan,[9] in charge of troop movements and support between the North Waziristan District in Pakistan and the Loya Paktia (the Khost, Paktia, and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan).[10][11][12] In the 2009–2010, Mali Khan established bases for Haqqani fighters in the Mangal tribal areas of Paktia Province.[10] During this time he promoted the movement of Taliban forces from Pakistan to Afghanistan.[10] Among his duties was acting as an emissary between Baitullah Mehsud and the Haqqanis.[13] He was captured by ISAF forces on 27 September 2011, during a raid in Musakhel District, a Haqqani network stronghold in Khost Province.[8] He was released in a prisoner swap in November 2019.[14] Several mounths after his release he was reported back at work for the Haqqani network, in military coordination and logistics.[15]

When the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was re-established, following the withdrawal of NATO troops in August 2021, Mali Khan became part of the Afghan government and was appointed as governor of Logar Province.[3][16]

References
  1. په یو شمیر وزارتونو، قول اردو ګانو اوولایتونو کې نوې ټاکنې وشوې [New elections were held for a number of ministries, corps and provinces]. Pajhwok Network. 4 March 2022. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022.
  2. د نږدې شلو ولایاتو لپاره نوي والیان او امنیې قوماندانان وټاکل شول [New governors and police chiefs have been appointed for about 20 provinces]. Azam News (in Pashto). 7 November 2021. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021.
  3. Ahmadzai, Asif (8 November 2021). "New governors named for 17 provinces". Pajhwok Afghan News. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021.
  4. "Senior Haqqani commander captured in Afghanistan". France 24. 1 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011.
  5. "Once wanted terrorists, now Taliban are prominent members of 2021". The Economic Times. 28 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021.
  6. Hock, Isaac; Dressler, Jeffrey (November 2011). "Haqqani network family tree" (PDF). Institute for the. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 May 2021.
  7. "Haqqani leader captured in Afghanistan". Financial Times. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  8. "NATO: Haqqani Leader Captured in Afghanistan". NPR. 1 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011.
  9. "Nato 'kills senior Haqqani militant in Afghanistan'". BBC News. 30 June 2011.
  10. "Haji Mali Khan". Afghan Biographies.
  11. Brown, Vahid; Rassler, Don (2013). Fountainhead of Jihad: The Haqqani Nexus, 1973-2012. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-19-936537-1.
  12. Semple, Michael (2011). "How the Haqqani Network is Expanding from Waziristan". Foreign Affairs. 90 (5). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  13. Roggio, Bill (1 November 2011). "US adds senior Haqqani Network leader to terrorist list". The Long War Journal. Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011.
  14. Zucchino, David; Goldman, Adam (19 November 2019). "Two Western Hostages Are Freed in Afghanistan in Deal with Taliban". The New York Times.
  15. مالی خان فرمانده رها شده طالبان دوباره به صفوف جنگ برگشته است [Released Taliban commander Mali Khan has returned to the battlefield] (in Persian). Afghanistan: Jomhor News. 13 April 2020. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020.
  16. "Top Haqqani Network leader named Taliban governor of Logar". The Long War Journal. Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 10 November 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021.
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